For 25 years, a potato farming dynasty in the Pemberton valley has been running an annual fundraiser selling sweet California oranges.
Ryan Creek Farm, run since 1906 by the Ronayne family, is one of several potato farms in the Pemberton Valley that supply seed potatoes to other areas across North America. A few decades back, the late Joe Ronayne was delivering valley potatoes to Johnson Farms in California, when he struck up a trading system.
“He used to go down—take potatoes down—and he’d bring back a pallet of oranges and grapefruits and give it to all the farmers that he hauled for,” remembered Marie Ronayne. “So then Joe decided that it would be a good fundraiser.”
In the quarter-century that followed, the orange proceeds have gone to Whistler Minor Hockey, Stewardship Pemberton Society, the Pemberton Canoe Club, Mountain Movement Dance Studio. This year, they supported an upcoming 11-day trip Pemberton Secondary School students are taking to Peru.
In December, eight pallets of sweet California oranges were provided through Ryan Creek Farm. Each pallet holds 60 boxes and each box has 88 oranges. Students, their families and organizers sold every last piece of fruit this year, amounting to more than 42,000 oranges distributed throughout the Sea to Sky--from Squamish to Whistler, and Mount Currie to Birken.
The orange fundraiser is the last of a series of campaigns aimed at sending Pemberton Secondary School students to Peru. Previous events have included selling chocolate, running a bottle drive and hosting a fundraising dinner at Mile One Eating House.
It’s all organized by French Immersion teacher Alexandra Alain-LeBlanc. While last year’s school trip was more focused on French culture for her immersion students, this year they’re branching out.
“This year, we’re going to Peru with 32 students," said Alain-LeBlanc. "Now the idea is more about community and about getting out of our comfort zone for an adventure. So we have friends from the English program, French program, and Indigenous students coming with us.”
Alain-LeBlanc, who is spending her vacation time overseeing the kids in Peru, is taken with the support the program gets from parents and the community. She's looking forward to hosting another orange fundraiser for a trip to Europe with the graduating class of 2025-2026.
"I think that fundraiser is so special because it really comes at the time of the year that everyone needs sunshine, some colour," she reflected. "I have a feeling everyone is just happy to see the oranges arriving in Pemberton."
Ronayne is a little more direct.
“I think its just a good idea because it’s a good time to get some vitamin C," she said.
